Sunday, March 30, 2008

pasta treats

Whenever I go to that make-me-happy place that is Fairway, I just want to buy everything. I curse my weak arms and shoulders for only being able to carry a certain amount. But I've recently acquired a little cloth cart with wheels...so if I want to buy 5 lbs of leeks, just try and stop me! Which brings us to now...what is one to do with a crap-load of leeks? Well, see here for the first use. And below you can see how the remaining ones met their demise. This is super tasty, and pretty easy to make.I use deli ham, though you can substitute deli turkey or leftover ham or turkey.

Melt butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic and salt and cook over med-low heat until the leeks soften (approx 10 minutes).Add the chicken broth and let cook down to approx 1/4 cup.Add the cream and let thicken.Add the parsley and ham, heat the ham through, and remove from heat.Serve over pasta (makes enough for 1 lb pasta).

Side Note re: Broth - I never use real stock or broth. Who wants to carry all that heavy liquid from the store? And make it from scratch, forget it, too time consuming. So I use bullion cubes, and I'm not ashamed. Keep in mind that bullion cubes usually have more salt than stock, so adjust the recipe accordingly.